Mexican-American Alderman Has Dubious Distinction: Most Convicted Chicago Official

Mexican-American former Chicago Alderman, Ambrosio Medrano, was just sentenced to 10 ½ years in prison for corruption; this being his second corruption conviction puts him on the record books.

The 60 year-old Alderman was implicated in a bribery skim involving government contracts in 2010. Medrano was eventually convicted in 2013 of taking kickbacks on a $1 million county hospital supply contract. This was Medrano’s second conviction the first coming in 1996 for taking a $31,000 bribe as an elected official. He was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison. After the Southwest Side politician finished his sentence he unsuccessfully tried to regain his aldermanic seat.

In his current capacity Medrano was working on the staff of the then Cook County Commissioner, Joseph Mario Moreno, who is facing up to 17 years in prison for his own role in several bribery schemes.

The former 25th Ward alderman is facing another sentencing, next week, for another corruption related conviction. This conviction is also related to the county hospital system but with another supplier. Chicago Tribune noted Medrano is “believed to be the first public official in the state to be convicted of three separate public fraud schemes.”

The serially corrupt Medrano was overheard on a recording labeling himself as a government self-serving “pig” who wanted what was due to him.

Ironically he will be sent to the same Colorado prison where the disgraced former governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, is serving his corruption sentence.

The Mexican-American politician was first elected to the Chicago City Council in 1991. Prior to that Medrano served as the Hispanic coordinator of former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s first mayoral campaign.